"Nice place you've got here. Have you been living here the entire time?" Arbane asked, staring at the castle hallway with interest, his somewhat elven features lighting up. After those who had wanted magic had gotten it, everyone present had come back here, teleporting using the jungle Infuser that Orenis had managed to get working in the end. Even that Ralis person who had caused the fight that hurt Wyn was here, but she was locked up in the castle dungeon for now.

When Edwyr had joined them, Wyn had told him, same as Orenis back in Urzikal, that he wasn't the leader, he was simply another member whose opinion was respected due to his age if anything. But the atmosphere was so much different without him. Everyone seemed a little unsure what to do with him unconscious still.

But Edwyr hated the situation for a much different reason. He'd barely been able to focus on anything else but Wyn. Edwyr couldn't seem to stop caring about him as only an integral part of their group. No, he was worried about him as he would have been before he'd learned the truth. And it made him feel so torn. He should be feeling triumphant. They'd managed what they'd set out to do, and without casualties, mostly due to Wyn's shielding, he'd been reunited with Lanna and Arbane and they didn't hate him, but Edwyr just wasn't happy. He felt like a great tragedy had struck, and Wyn wasn't even dead.

"Sorry, I know you're worried about your...um, boyfriend?"

Arbane's gaze was soft and sympathetic, but all Edwyr could do was gawk at him.

Lanna, who was standing next to her husband grimaced. "Oh, did we misread that situation? It's just that I've never seen you react this way to someone getting hurt before."

Edwyr scowled. No, he would be just as desperate to save her or Arbane. He was sure of that. He didn't care about Wyn more than his friends. But then again, he had left them behind to go with Wyn here.

Oh, Goddess, he'd truly messed that up.

"We...were together," Edwyr admitted. He didn't want to talk about this, especially not in a hallway where anyone could walk by them and overhear, but he owed them the truth after what he'd done to them. Not listening to their very valid concerns and accusing them of trying to ruin his future had been a horrible thing to do. "But now that I've found out just how exactly I got my magic." He gritted his teeth at the thought. "Wyn didn't tell me." He cleared his throat. "So, whatever we had is done. I'll tell him as much when he wakes up."

Lanna and Arbane looked at each other, both of their expressions dubious. Though Edwyr couldn't tell if that was because they doubted him or because they didn't like the situation. "Right, so you didn't know what this would do to Fey, then?"

"No, of course I didn't." The nagging question of whether he'd refuse to get magic if he knew entered his mind again, and he firmly stomped it out. It didn't matter now.

Arbane nodded, letting out a breathy laugh. "Yeah, we didn't think you did. But still. Good to hear that."

Edwyr nodded, not sure what else to say. Thankfully, Lanna spoke before the silence could get awkward.

"Look, maybe just go easy on him, let him explain himself. The fact that he didn't tell you is not okay, but he's injured because he protected Fey, protected Ralis, the person who tried to kill him just moments prior. He can't be that bad of a person."

Edwyr understood where Lanna was coming from, and yet the idea of giving Wyn the chance to even just explain himself made him deeply unwilling to cooperate. Because he knew there wasn't any explanation Wyn could give him that would justify his actions. There couldn't be. Wyn had clearly done it to get Edwyr to join his side, what other reason could he possibly have? But he didn't want to hear him admit it because that would confirm it, even though he already knew.

"Are you going back to Sunwood?" Edwyr said instead of continuing the previous discussion, and thankfully neither Arbane nor Lanna seemed that interested in doing so either.

"I mean, I do want to know if it's still standing," Lanna said, sighing, her shoulders sinking as a worried frown appeared on her face. "We should tell them the attacks should become much less frequent now. I assume we can get close to Sunwood using that teleporter device somehow, right?"

Edwyr nodded, not sure which Infuser was closest to the town, but he was sure there was one that would get them closer than they were now. But he had a feeling Lanna wasn't saying everything. "And then...?"

"Your...uh, friend Wyn seems to know a lot," Arbane said before gesturing to his face. "He told me he might be able to figure out what is going on with me. So I want to stick around at least for now, assuming he wakes up. Because if I am a half-elf, what exactly does that even mean? I need some answers."

Lanna nodded, taking Arbane's hand into hers and smiling at him. She seemed to be dealing with her husband's altered visage very well. "Yes, and we also don't want to leave you here alone, either. If there's one thing this crisis proved, it's that Sunwood has people able to protect it. You were right about that."

A tightness unwound in Edwyr's chest. He felt a little selfish for being so pleased that his friends weren't going home just yet because while his plan was to eventually return, help the people in Sunwood with his magic, he needed to see this through to the end. He wanted to see the Council replaced with something better and the elven society completely remade from the ground up first. But he had thought that would mean saying goodbye once more. Perhaps not just yet, then.

He smiled at them, grateful that they weren't doing what he deserved and leaving him like he'd done to them. "Thank you." Then he looked at Arbane specifically. "I hope Wyn can help you find out more about yourself."

Arbane snorted, a grin on his face. "Yeah, same here. This place has a lot of mirrors. It always shocks me when I see myself."

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Before Edwyr could respond, someone called his name from behind him. Turning around, he saw Orenis making her way to him, a look he couldn't identify on her face. She seemed both relieved and worried, and Edwyr couldn't tell which it was.

"Wyn's awake."

Oh. Edwyr felt his shoulders relax a little, but the thought of confronting Wyn made his insides twist all the same. He wanted to yell at him so badly, and yet he felt awful about it given that Wyn had been gravely injured. Edwyr could still hear him in his head, telling him he didn't deserve Edwyr's help, saying that he was sorry. It made Edwyr's eyes sting just replaying the moment in his head. Had Wyn thought he was going to die at that moment?

"Just try not to yell at him too much. He's not healed all the way yet," Orenis continued, sighing. She looked so much less carefree than she usually was. But given the situation, she had reason to feel that way. It must have been difficult for her since she seemed both worried about Wyn and angry on Edwyr's behalf.

"Yeah, I'll try."

That was all Edwyr could say. That he'd try. There was no way of knowing what he would end up saying, how angry he would get at seeing Wyn again, but the longer he put this off, the worse this would be. He needed to get this off his chest because if he didn't, he didn't think he could continue functioning.

He looked back at Lanna and Arbane, who were both grimacing with concern. "Good luck, Edwyr."

Edwyr sighed. He was going to need it. He was glad they weren't giving him any excuse to put off his visit, though, and instead sending him on his way. Because he might have taken that excuse without a second thought. His stomach was now tied into knots, making him feel a little ill.

"Right, I'd best go to him, then."

Orenis clasped a hand on his shoulder as he walked past her, but she said nothing, only shooting him a smile of sympathy before starting to chat with Lanna and Arbane. Edwyr sighed again, setting off to Wyn's quarters. His oh-so-familiar quarters that Edwyr refused to think about, ignoring everyone and everything around him. He just focused on getting there, and only that because if he did more, he feared he might lose his mind.

By the time he had reached Wyn's chambers, it felt like forever. He stopped for a second once he finally reached Wyn's door, taking a second more to draw a deep breath before grabbing the door handle and barging in, not bothering to knock. He couldn't overthink this anymore.

His abrupt entrance resulted in Wyn sitting up in his bed fast, groaning as he did, and despite himself, Edwyr grimaced with guilt at that. He quickly hid it, however, keeping his gaze ice cold. He didn't want to give Wyn anything to work with here. He simply came here to say his piece, and that was it.

"E-Edwyr," Wyn said, trying to straighten up more, but he couldn't seem to move much, his face screwed up with pain.

"Wyn." Edwyr came up to him, trying not to think about lying in this very bed with Wyn just a day or two prior. He blocked everything out, locking his feelings away. For once what the elves on Aendor had taught him was useful.

"I...I wasn't certain you'd come see me," Wyn said, ducking his gaze, focusing on his hands in his lap rather than on Edwyr. Edwyr couldn't help but feel relieved at the fact that Wyn's burned hand was healed now, but he pushed those feelings away immediately. If he dared to feel anything but anger and resentment, his mind wouldn't be clear enough to tell Wyn exactly what he was thinking.

"After this, I won't do it again."

Wyn's eyes snapped up to Edwyr's, wide and vulnerable. And glassed over. Edwyr swallowed, trying to ignore the pain stabbing through his heart. Wyn was still hurt, physically and now emotionally, and it was so difficult to keep hold of what Edwyr wanted to feel toward him now that he knew the truth instead of what he was actually feeling.

"Edwyr. I am so sorry. I should have told you, but—"

"But what, Wyn?" Edwyr snapped, folding his arms over his chest, the cleansing fire of fury burning through his core. Yes, that was what he had to hold onto. That was what would keep him from being swayed by Wyn looking so vulnerable. So heartbroken. Though by the Goddess it was a challenge. "But you were too much of a coward to tell me the truth? You knew I wouldn't want you in my bed if you told me?"

Wyn gaped at him, his eyes growing even more glassy as tears started to gather in them, the usually bright yellow of his iris dull and lifeless. Then he looked down, bowing his head forward. "Yes, I was a coward."

Edwyr shook his head. "Is that all you have to say? You took Feyrith's magic on my behalf without letting me decide if it was worth it. You did worse than lie to me—you made up things about the Infusers so I wouldn't ask questions."

"Feyrith has magic once more," Wyn argued but in such a weak voice that Edwyr didn't even bother addressing it before continuing.

"How could you...just do that?" Edwyr paused for a moment, waiting for Wyn to try to justify his actions, but he said nothing, keeping his head bowed. His hair hung in his face, his eyes so, so dull. It made it so difficult not to pity him, but Edwyr would do his best to resist. "I trusted you."

Wyn grimaced, shutting his eyes. The tear running down the side of his face was impossible to miss. "I know. I wanted to tell you. Every day I thought about doing so. I just...I didn't want you to live with that kind of guilt." Edwyr paused, then, his anger fading away despite his best efforts to hold onto it. "I knew how much you wanted magic. How badly. And I know how hard it has been for some of the others. I didn't want you to go through that."

There was silence for a moment, Edwyr having no idea what to say to that while more tears flowed down Wyn's face. The elf drew a sharp breath, wiping at his tears with slow, uncoordinated movements, once again reminding Edwyr that he was still wounded.

"And also I...I was afraid you'd resent me on some level if you knew. Blame me for that guilt. I was selfish."

Edwyr squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. The fact that Wyn was admitting he'd had a selfish reason also should have made Edwyr angrier, but instead in a way he was grateful that Wyn was telling him the actual truth, admitting to his mistake without trying to excuse it, even if it changed nothing.

Edwyr took in a shuddering breath. He needed to finish this. Before he started to get second thoughts.

"You were selfish. You are right about that. This was never your decision to make." Edwyr glared, pushing away everything other than anger. Any emotion that threatened to convince him to forgive Wyn right here and now. "I will help you see our mission through to the end. The Councilors need to be deposed. But what we had? That is over forever."

He turned to leave, feeling his eyes start to burn, his heart in his throat, choking him. He couldn't let Wyn see how much it hurt to say those words. But he barely took a step before Wyn's voice stopped him.

"N'lari, w-wait."

Gritting his teeth, Edwyr stopped.

"N'lari," he repeated quietly to himself, shooting Wyn a glare over his shoulder. The other elf had swung his legs over the edge of the bed, trying to drag himself up by the bedframe. Watching that, not helping him, Edwyr felt something in him break, but his face stayed as steely as ever.

"If I truly were your love, you wouldn't have kept this to yourself. You wouldn't have been a coward, and you would have told me, even if it was too late to change things." He turned back to the door, walking the few steps he needed to reach the handle. "Goodbye, Tehreswyn."

With his heart breaking into a thousand pieces, Edwyr swung the door open and walked out, a tear escaping his eye but his expression neutral, unfeeling.

Wyn was dead to him now, he had to be. And without him taking up Edwyr's time anymore, he could train like he was supposed to. Perfect his magic along with the others who had just received theirs. And when they finally went to free the imprisoned elves, to confront the Council, he would be more than ready. They all would be.

Feeling new determination fill him at those thoughts, burning away some of the sorrow in his heart, Edwyr smiled grimly to himself. It was time to get to work.